Sailor rescued as yacht is driven on to lee shoreThe coxswain and helmsman of Whitby's two lifeboats, the 44ft Waveney White Rose of Yorkshire and the D class inflatable Gwynaeth, have both been awarded bronze medals for gallantry for their part in the service to the yacht Cymba on 9 April 1988.Coxswain Peter Thomson showed 'excellent seamanship and calculated bravery' in his decision to take the Waveney into heavy breaking surf and saving 'what otherwise would have been a doomed survivor', and helmsman Nicholas Botham showed 'skill and expertise' in taking his inflatable into conditions 'which could be considered to be above the normal operating limits' of the boat, according to the official report by the Divisional Inspector.

A 999 call to Humber Coastguard at 0832 on Saturday 9 April first alerted them to a 'capsized yacht' off Whitby Harbour, and because of the urgency of the situation the coastguard immediately paged the crew of the D class inflatable.

The deputy launching authority at Whitby heard the call on his pager and called the coastguard, agreeing to the launch, and asking for the Waveney crew to be paged because of the conditions.

The D class launched at 0840 and the Waveney's crew were paged two minuteslater, the boat proceeding on service at 0845.

The northerly Force 5 wind was causing heavy breaking seas at the harbour mouth and the inflatable had to be driven through them before heading west, towards the position given by the first 999 call.

The coastguard sector officer ashore could see the casualty, and informed the crew by VHP that the yacht was actually to the east, towards Whitby rocks.

Breaking Soon after altering course towards her the crew were able to see the yacht being driven towards the shore by a heavy northerly swell, which was breaking heavily on the shallowing water of the Whitby rocks.

The inflatable entered the broken water and the crew saw a figure in the water on the port side. Helmsman Nicholas Botham had to wait for an opportunity to turn, butafter a large breaker had passed the lifeboat was able to run back down and turn head to sea for an approach. The man was brought aboard with great difficulty at 0849, but was found to be dead.

The Waveney was closer inshore dealing with the yacht, and as the seas there were beyond the capability of the D class the helmsman decided to return to the harbour.

After waiting for a smooth patch of sea to enter the harbour the inflatable was rehoused and ready for service by 0940.

The Waveney White Rose of Yorkshire had also encountered heavy seas leaving the harbour and had set her course towards the inflatable as soon as she was clear.

Once clear of the breakwaters the yacht had been sighted closer inshore, upright, dismasted and beam-on to the seas. She was being driven towards the shore with a survivor visible in the water astern of her and apparently attached to the yacht.

Coxswain Thomson realised that he had only moments to try a rescue, and made a direct approach. About 30 yards off the lifeboat was hit by two large seas from astern, and he realised that he would have to go in stern-first to retain control.

Working astern with the engines, occasionally going ahead to stem large seas, the coxswain brought the lifeboat down to the casualty but found the yacht's rigging obstructing the approach, and had to move the lifeboat away.

A second approach was made, but as the lifeboat closed the yacht a large sea threatened to lift her on to the casualty, and once again the coxswain had to drive the boat ahead into clear water.

Survivor Finally, on the third approach, the lifeboat dropped down astern near to the survivor, who managed to catch a line thrown to him. He was dragged aboard the lifeboat at 0902, and had to remain in the well for a time as the cabin door could not be opened safely until the lifeboat had been driven clear of the worst seas.

White Rose of Yorkshire took the survivor back to Whitby at 0904, and put to sea again to escort fishing boats to harbour.

As a result of the service Coxswain/Mechanic Peter Thomson and Helmsman Nicholas Botham have been awarded the RNLI's bronze medal, and the members of both lifeboat's crews, Peter Sellars, Glenn Goodberry, Barry Sneddon, Howard Fields, Robert Brooks and Andrew Jordan, have been awarded Medal Service Certificates..